Conditions for a Coup

Back in 2017, while on a waling holiday (in Wales?) Mrs May had the sudden revelation  that we needed a general election.   That didn't work out well for her.  My own realisation, whilst on a walking holiday in the English Lake District last week, was that I, for the first time, understood why less happier lands are so often subject to military coups.

Let's take a mythical Bongo Bongo Land. It doesn't have the luxury of institutions honed to near perfection by centuries of experience, a highly educated population, an official opposition offering a viable alternative, free and regular elections, a free press and an international reputation  for "fair play," fair dealing and pragmatic common sense.

Rather, in Bongo Bongo Land,  the government, in the grip of a small group of extremists intent on their own enrichment,  is hell bent on an action their own experts and advisers, their neighbours and almost all international organisations tell them will be detrimental to their standing, their economy and their people, especially the poorest.  The official opposition is pre-occupied  with its own problems and offers no alternative.

  The leadership of the governing party is up for grabs and the contenders make wilder and wilder promises in order to gain the favour of the narrow elite who are entitled  decide the matter.  The leading contender, widely known to be "an unrepentant race-baiter, liar, philanderer and opportunist, liked least by those who know him best"* threatens  to dissolve its major democratic institution, its parliament, if it attempts to hinder his purpose.  The sycophantic press, in hock to the government in return for favours, applauds the leading contender and declares the judiciary, who try to impose the rule of law, to be "enemies of the people."

It is in this sort of circumstance that Bongo Bong Land's military are likely to step in to prevent such folly.

I don't expect it will happen here and I hope  it won't.

But just imagine what the reaction would be if it were a left-wing government about to impose some wild Marxist-Maoist dogma and  link the UK  with  some combination of Russia, China and Cuba.

I can't now remember what it was that the Wilson Governments of the 1960s were trying to do which so upset our establishment, but two newspaper owners, Hugh Cudlipp and Cecil King, met with Earl  Mountbatten to discus Wilson's overthrow.  To his credit, Mountbatten realised the meeting was treasonable and walked away.

Given the supposition of a left wing government conducting the present shenanigans, I wonder who would be  meeting behind closed doors today.

There is, of course, no need for an illegitimate  coup.  We have a sovereign parliament and all that is needed is for this legitimate body to come to its senses, vote in the long term interest of the country rather the short term objective of keeping their comfortable jobs, revoke Article 50 and put a stop this nonsense,  preferably before their summer holidays.